The complete analysis of an rRNA operon from Zea mays chloroplasts and its comparison with other plastidic or bacterial rRNA operons is presented. The maize operon contains structural genes for 16S, 23S and 4.5S rRNA species, a leader region proximal to the 16S rRNA gene and a 2.4 kb spacer between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes. Within the spacer DNA sequence are two tRNA genes which code for a tRNAIle and tRNAAla species but each gene is split by large intervening sequences of 949 and 806 bp… CONTINUE READING